Ugh, why do you overshare so much?

Shh, don’t tell people that! What’ll they think?Keep more secrets, be mysterious, stop telling the world your problems.

Why do I overshare? Where is my shame? Why do I lay myself so bare?

From life advice, to relationship advice, and business advice, I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve been told to stifle myself. Being a closed book certainly works for others, so why do I find it so abhorrent? Why do I overshare so much?

Because when others shared stories of assaults they’d endured, I realized it wasn’t my fault.

Because when I lost a baby, I felt empty and alone. I couldn’t talk in person about my feelings so I wrote about them, and found a community that understood.

Because when I tell people about my daily frustrations, they feel better about having them too.

Because when we see the filtered photos and curated lives, we feel less-than and inferior, but that’s not reality.

Because I don’t want to believe I’m the only person struggling with being an adult, getting through the days, or parenting.

Because when my seemingly perfect marriage was falling apart, I wanted others to see reality isn’t always what we think.

Because when we acknowledge our feelings, we can work towards better days.

Because you need to know you’re not alone.

You need to know that there is a world on the other side of the screen that sees you, acknowledges you, and feels inspired by your daily bravery. There is courage in waking up each day and facing life, there really is. There is bravery in sharing our stories, and strength in the connections we make when we know someone else is out there, nodding their head in agreement.

I won’t stop oversharing. They can’t keep me quiet.

I hope it helps someone else open up, or at the very least, assures them they’re not alone.

I’ve finally been conditioned NOT to overshare. People can’t handle knowing someone that finds zero joy in anything, someone who leaves his shitty apartment only when he has to, someone who all but lives in his bed. People don’t know what to do with someone like that. They don’t know what to say.

They don’t want to. It’s better for them if they agree “Yeah, we should get together!” and never find the time.

A comment, a like on a personal post, an acknowledgement helps me get through the day when there is no one to talk to. And it makes me feel better. There’s a whole community out there who is going through something similar. Right? Just the other day I googled 9 year old girls, because I was at my absolute wits’ end, and by the the time I finished reading blogs (honest stories told by people like me, not ‘professional experts’) I was able to change my perspective, and tackle the entire situation differently. I feel calmer, and it’s not because I got support from the people around me so much, but because I saw that there were 40-something moms of tween girls who see it like me.

I’m always being told by others that I share too much. I don’t care. I’m not forcing anyone else to do what I do, but fully appreciate others like you who also share personal glimpses. It helps. When I share about myself, someone always says “Me too!” and that instantly feels like support.
Great post! xo